If your laptop speakers are making scratchy sounds or if your audio seems otherwise distorted, this can signify a number of software or hardware issues. You can troubleshoot or fix many of these problems by altering the volume settings or making sure the computer’s device drivers are up-to-date. If your sound card and drivers are fine but your speakers still don’t work, they may require replacement or physical repair.

Volume Too Loud

Laptop speakers are designed to fit into a small compartment, so they generally aren't of the best quality. If your system volume is set too high, any audio you play might sound scratchy or distorted. If you had to set your volume high to listen to a quiet video or audio file but didn't change it back, try lowering the volume. Open the "Settings" pane on the right side of your screen, select the speaker icon, and lower the setting to 70 percent or lower before trying to play anything else.

Drivers Need Updating

If all of the audio you play has the same scratchy effect, regardless of source or volume, your audio drivers may be out-of-date and updating them might fix the issue. To locate legitimate drivers, visit your sound card manufacturer's website, and then download the appropriate driver(s) to your computer. If you don’t know what sound card you have, open the Windows Device Manager to view what is installed on your computer. Select the audio device and choose the option to install a new driver, then select the INF file(s) you just downloaded.

Old or Faulty Speakers

If your laptop is an older model, your speakers could simply be fading with age. Their internal components could be loose or worn, and they may need replacing. This may also be the case if you experience audio troubles regardless of what you try to play. If only one of your speakers is having an issue, there’s an even greater chance that the problem is hardware-related. If this is the case, you can consult the manufacturer’s user guide for your specific laptop and try replacing the speakers yourself. Another option is to take the laptop in for repairs; this may be pricey if the laptop is no longer under warranty.

Troubleshooting

You can try to narrow down the specific problem by performing a few basic troubleshooting steps. Restarting your computer can fix a lot of temporary problems, especially if your computer hasn't been restarted or shut down in a while. Restarting is also important if you have updated any drivers. Also, test your sound card and driver by plugging in a pair of headphones and listening to hear how the audio sounds. If the sound works fine through the headphones but not through the speakers, it is likely that there is a physical problem with the speakers.

About the Author

Based in California, James Wright has been writing since 1998. Wright's articles have been published on various websites with a focus on technical fields such as computers and the Internet, and were also featured in a now-retired publication for an online artistic community. Wright studied English, journalism, politics and psychology at Riverside Community College.